Wishes

No bigger than a human hand, the elven King was asleep under a bit of a fallen leaf. He'd had a busy night, and was cranky and exhausted.

"Oh, I so wish I had wings. If I had wings like a fairy then I'd be beautiful," sighed Cari, who was eleven, a bit more than pleasingly plump, and had mousy brown hair and thick glasses over her silver-gray eyes. "The kids would like me if I were beautiful and they'd all be jealous of my wings.

"And I suppose you'd want long straight blond hair too!" The elven King was now very grumpy because Cari had awakened him.

"No, actually, I'd like long, curly black hair--huh? Who said that?"

"I did!"

Cari followed the sound of the disgruntled voice down to one of last year's oak leaves lying on the grass. Carefully, she lifted the leaf and saw the elven king.

"You're a fairy?"

"No, I most certainly am not! Fairy...bah! The tiny king snorted, then continued. "I am the Elven King."

"Oh," she said softly. "I've never believed in fairies--I mean elves before."

"But you believe in wishing for wings?"

"Well, I knew nothing would happen, but I was," she paused, "just wishing. No one likes me and I just thought that if I were different, then maybe they would."

"And, if I may be so bold, exactly why don't they like you?"

"I don't know. I like to read and write . . ."

"That explains the wishing, but not the rest."

"I'm just different, I guess."

"So, you want to be even more different? I'm afraid that makes little sense."

"I suppose. But you could do it, couldn't you? Make me beautiful and have wings?"

"Wings and beauty don't come cheaply, my dear."

"Oh. How much are they?"

"Hmmm. You eyes, err, your sight, I mean. Your eyes would be always closed, as if you were asleep."

"Then I couldn't see anyone!"

"You mean you couldn't see anyone noticing you! But then, you wouldn't know if you met someone else who had wings, either."

The Elven king snapped his fingers and Cari could see an image of a beautiful fairy-like creature, with long, curly black hair and shimmering wings.

"That what you want to look like?"

Cari's eyes lit up. "Ohh, yes. She's beautiful!"

The king shook his head. "She's looks pretty normal to me. Answer me this. Why do you think you aren't beautiful? Because you are, you know."

"I am?"

"Of course you are, but what is more important, is that beauty begins INSIDE you! And you, child, are so lovely inside. You just need to believe it. And when you do, you won't need wings!"

"But. . ."

"Tell you what I'll do." He snapped his fingers and a glow sparkled all around Cari.

"I feel funny," she giggled. "What did you do?"

"Just gave you a little nudge. You think about what I've said, and let me get back to sleep."

With that, he lay down, pulled the leaf over him and began immediately to snore.

Cari walked home thinking about what the elf had said. Although she didn't know it, she walked with her head held higher and her back straighter. Her eyes were sparkling and she was smiling. And, what she didn't notice, and couldn't see as they were folded close to her back, were a faintly iridescent pair of ephemeral wings.